I Think One of My Posts is in Cyber Space!

I know I posted pictures of my new baby-Quilt Chamberlain!  But since it's not here, I post her baby pictures now!

Jeff-the technician from Innova-arrived at about 2pm on Sunday, the 23rd.  Joe and I helped him unload the truck and bring all the parts downstairs.  With our help, he said we probably saved him an hour.  I tried to stay out of his hair but couldn't help but check on him rather regularly!

All 4 girls were home, along with 2 boyfriends and 2 dogs and my dad.  Poor guy had 9 people and 2 dogs supervising!  He was such a trooper!  I did make sure he had enough coffee and water and kept him well fed!  In addition, we had Christmas Carolers come in and serenade us!  10 hours later, our newest baby was assembled!

Jeff gave me some basic instructions and I was very glad I had taken the new owners class a few weeks ago.  I'm still muddling through with the Pantovision, but slowing becoming more accustomed to it.  I am looking forward to more formal instruction with it.

I have a big learning curve with getting proficient with the machine.  My curves and circles have a lot to be desired, but I will practice until it looks good.  I decided I will do as many online classes that I can.  I started with Leah Day's Free Motion Quilt Along.  I have started with the stippling.

I had previously signed up for Craftsy's Machine Quilting Negative Space class with Angela Walters.  It's pretty good.  I was hoping it was more long arm instruction, but I do think I'll get a lot out of it.  Below are my practice pieces.

Swirls

Boxes

Circles and Swirls

Parenthesis with lines and pebbles

I also practiced my feathers.  Still not as rounded as I'd like but I'm sure it will come with practice.

I have been looking for a beginner longarm class online that gives hints on how to do things and drills to practice.  I have found one called "Skillbuilding for Free Motion Quilting" which is part of the online quilt channel QNN show, "Quilt It-the Longarm Quilting Show"  It's somewhat what I was looking for.  You need to order some pre-marked fabric to practice on.  Not sure if I'm going to do that or just practice on my own.  It's a bit sappy-sweet but I'll muscle through because I really want to get on track. 

I'm thinking Leah Day's Free Motion Quilt Along might be the best bet.  I'll let you know!

Happy Stitching!

Log Cabin Stars Top Done! Finally!

Well, it's not my favorite but the top is done as far as I'm concerned!  The picture downloaded sideways, but then again, this whole quilt has given me fits!  I took a class at Asilomar from Flavin Glover called Log Cabin Diamonds. I think I was expecting more from the class and, as my friend Ricki said, I was underclassed.  I had been at one of Jinny Beyer's seminars where we studied the log cabin block and it's variations and I was hoping for more of the same.  Didn't happen.  But I wanted to finish the quilt top.  So I plugged away, on and off, for almost 2 years.  I had A LOT of blocks that I made but didn't use.  So I'm going to use them on the back!  

So I started fooling around with one of the complete stars and built with some of the partially done diamond blocks.

. 

Then I pulled some of the tonal gradated blocks and really liked the result!  Maybe even more than the front!  It's looking like a double sided quilt!












To make it even I need add a 4 inch border around all the sides.












This will help keep me distracted (like Christmas isn't distracting enough) until the new Baby arrives!  The wrapping is done so I can get back to quilting!  Or should I say "piecing".  I'l be quilting once the machine arrives and is set up.  I was told last week that it should arrive this week!  It's Tuesday and I'm beside myself waiting for the call!

Happy Stitching!

Crazy Busy!

So things have been a bit wild!  Reader's Digest version:  Went to Houston.  Test drove Innova, Gammill, APQS and Nolting.  I went with the Innova.  Why?  The Innova and the Gammill were so close but it came down to Pantovision, dealer location and 24/7 tech support.

The past few weeks have been cleaning out the Lair.  I was back and forth as to put it in the basement or turn my living room into my studio.  I love my living room but I think the noise level if anyone else was in the house would be annoying.

I also have been to my new owner's class!  I won't have the machine for a few more weeks (probably when my girls all arrive home) but I feel like I can get a good start.  I've also been watching YouTube videos.  Can you tell I'm raring to go?

In addition, I got my Jaipur Star quilt back from the quilter.  She had it for a year!  I'm really happy with it now.  It has 4 appliques in the corners (I just looked at the picture that I took before I sent it to the quilter and realized when I ironed the appliques on the horse and the peacock changed places).  Anyway, I am embellishing the appliques. I have the horse done...  Of course, the pictures I just took and downloaded to the computer have not shown up yet.

Pictures to follow.

Happy Stitching!

Research Then Shopping in Houston

I've been a very busy girl!  I've been thinking, researching and obsessing over getting a longarm machine.  I thought buying my Viking machine was big but a longarm is BIG!!!  Would I get the hang of it, could I get good enough to sell my services, would anyone WANT to buy my services?  I have found that I really do enjoy doing surface design but get frustrated with the quilt gymnastics of getting the work surface straight without getting any creases in the backing.  I don't mind the time involved in quilting the quilt (usually about a week or so for a queen-sized quilt) but it is easy to put it aside because, well, I'm easily distracted by the next project!  Can I justify spending that kind of money?  And I hadn't even started stressing over what I wanted or needed in a machine!  I had never really used one and I know there will be a pretty big learning curve.  But then again, there was a learning curve with quilting on a home machine.  I found that when I did it day after day on a regular basis my skills improved dramatically.

So I started researching on the internet and talking to people who owned them.  The 4 I narrowed it down to were: Gammil, Innova, APQS and Nolting.  I not only went to the websites but got on their forums to see what people were talking about.  Sheryl on the Innova forum had a spreadsheet she used with questions to ask each manufacturer.  I copied some of her questions and added a few of my own.  I also researched what I should do on my "test drive".  Below is the information I asked about.  I marked the answers and gave my impressions of each aspect.  I also marked what equipment was standard or how much it cost to add it on.

Machine
Electrical Requirements
Actual working surface
Ease of movement
Stitch Regulator
Speed Control
Vibrations
Thread break sensor
Bobbin Access
Bobbin Size
Side spool holder
Controls front/back
Operator Interface
Open toe stipple foot
Open toe hopping foot
Needle up/down
One Stitch Switch
Oiling
Cleaning and Maintenance
Starter Kit
Wheel system
Frame Construction
Height Adjustment
Dead bar
Handles front/back
Adjustable handles
Fabric take-up compensator
Channel locks
Fabric pole lift
Hand wheels
Roller configuration
Motorized advance
X-Hatch ruler w/ dead bar Extended base for ruler work
Thread stand
Side Tensioning
Lights
Stylus
Laser light
Micro Handles
Panto and/or design boards
PantoVision
Bobbin Winder
Warranty
Customer Service
Training
Add ons or Upgrades What's due to come out in the future
Delivery & Set up Charge
Repairs
Basic Package
Total with computer
Overall Cost with options
How long is the offer good?

What to Stitch:

Straight line-

Front to back & measure

Side to side-make + sign  

Mark Shoo Fly Block and trace (stitch in the ditch)

How easy to change direction

Stitch 1/4” on side of design 

Stitch a large square with a circle inside

Cross hatch  How easy to stop at circle and move to the other side

Micro stipple inside circle

Loops and swirls-back and forth

Try with SR on and off.

I went down to Houston's International Quilt Festival so I could test drive the machines.  Yes, it's expensive but I'm making a HUGE investment.  To do the same thing without going to a big show I'd have to drive to Ohio, Western Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa.  We're talking gas, meals, lodging, time and wear and tear on both my car and my body!  I was able to test all 4 in a matter of hours in addition to seeing some incredible quilts!  Anyway, I was amazed at how I was treated at each of the booths.  Innova was very friendly and made sure I was able to test everything I wanted and answered every question thoroughly.  The dealer I would be working with from western Michigan was there and I got along with her very well.  I must have spent an hour and a half or so with them.  

Next, I went to the Gammill booth.  I felt very rushed.  She brushed off some of my questions and even though the dealer I would be working with was there and with another shopped, there was no effort to introduce her to me.  Maybe they work on commission.  The machine ran very smoothly but she was not forthcoming with what are in the works as far as upgrades go.  She wrote up a sales proposal and practically kicked me out of the booth.  No warm and fuzzies.

I next went to the APQS booth.  A gal in my guild has an APQS machine and likes it. As I test drove it I noticed quite a bit of vibration and it was a bit louder.  Still asked most of the questions but knew I would not be serious about it because of the vibration.

Finally, I went to the Nolting booth.  The people at the booth were very nice and willing to answer my questions but as soon as I started to test the machine I noticed the very pronounced vibrations.  I didn't even go down the full list of questions.

I wandered around the beautiful quilts in the show part of the convention center.  It was much quieter and a lot less crowded than in the vender area.  I let my mind absorb the beauty of the quilts displayed and tried to clear my head.  Most of the people I know who have longarms have Gammills except for the one woman from my guild.  They seem to be the most recognized name out there.  The biggest thing that weighed heavily on my mind was the willingness to help the customer-not only during the sales process but also the customer care.  Gammill has an 800 number that is open M-F 8am-5pm central time.  Innova bent over backwards to make me feel comfortable with the machine and made sure I could try anything I had questions about.  They also have an 800 service number available 24/7, 365.

I ended up choosing the Innova and will hopefully take delivery either the end of this month or the beginning of next month!  I'm very happy with my decision.  I look forward to working with my dealer, Bekki, and the rest of the Innova team!  I need to start setting up the business so I can buy it without the sales tax and get the advantages offered this year for starting a small business! 

The next few weeks will be spent setting up the business and getting the "Lair" ready for my new baby!  I'll have to come up with a good name for her!

Happy Stitching,

Karen

I Can Do It All!

Sitting on the family room hand sewing the binding on the christening quilt and watching both the Michigan/Michigan State game and Quilt Cam with Bonnie Hunter!

Busy Week!

I don't know if it's good news or bad news.  Probably more bad than good or maybe I'm just making lemonade.  My leg with the tight IT band has been giving me problems so I decided to go to the doctor to try to resolve this.  I want to be able to work out in earnest once my trainer, Sara, is back from maternity leave in mid-November.  I have used this extra time to get some sewing done.  I got a call from the long-arm machine quilter that I have used for the first time that both my quilts were ready!  I'm really happy with them!

Cinnamon Stars

Close-up of Cinnamon Stars

Okay, I'm officially frustrated with trying to get the blog to put the pictures where I want them!  I can't get my cover photo and captions the way I like them either.  I think I'll have my kids help me when they get home for Thanksgiving.  So until then, please bear with me!

The other quilt I got back was Trail Mix.  This is the quilt I worked on when we had out home on Cape Cod.  I have so many quilts that just need to be quilted.  I love doing the surface designs but it takes so much time and wrestling on a domestic machine I find it a love/hate relationship.  Which brings me to what else I've been doing!

I'm researching getting a long arm machine.  I've been getting books on what to look for and some of the ins and outs of long arms and doing research on the internet.  I'm going back down to Houston to the Quilt Festival so I can test drive all the brands in one place.  Just when I think I'm leaning in one direction, someone says something or I read something else and I'm back to square one.  One of the other big decisions is where I'm going to put it.  They are HUGE!  How big do I want, both width wise and length wise.  I talked with Joe about it and we are considering putting it in the living room and making it into my sewing studio.  That way I won't have to sacrifice one of the bedrooms for when the girls come home.  We don't use the living room that much and this way it would get lots of use!  I'd need to put doors on it to close it off when people come over.  I'd have lots of light and I wouldn't feel so closed off from the outside world being down in the "Lair".

Grandma Boom's piece

Then, yesterday and today I have been working on a Christening Quilt for Bryn's boyfriend's mother to be given to Jim's older brother and his wife.  The baby's due any minute now.  She's in labor right now and I'm waiting to hear!  Anyway,  Jim's mom, Kathy, approached me about it and I started researching it.  Not a whole lot out there on them.  She gave me a small piece of Grandma Boom's wedding dress, her wedding dress, Corey's (the mother of the baby) dress, a few snippets of 3 aunt's dresses and a flower from another aunt.   She said she just wanted something about 3' x 3'.

Kathy's Dress

Front of Corey's dress

Back of Corey's dress

Aunt 1

Aunt 2

Aunt 3

Aunt 4

 The only thing she requested was that Grandma Boom's dress was in the center.  It was a ragged cut about 15" x 5".  I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do but "I had a dream"!  I cut Grandma's piece into 2 1.5" strips and made it into a cross with pieces of Corey's dress.

Center cross with Grandma's dress

I sewed the lace on the piece of dress from Aunt 1 and put the sheer piece from Aunt 2 over a piece from the lining of Corey's dress and topped it with the little flower from Aunt 4.  Aunt 3 sent a piece large enough for her own block.

The Aunt block

The blocks finished at 10" making the pieced top 30" square.  I then made a 3" border from Corey's dress bringing the finished size to 36" square.  I'm going to get some fusible batting to help stabilize it then just stitch in the ditch

The completed top

After the quilting is done I am going to add some of the sequenced lace from Corey's dress in 2 corners.  I'm really pleased with how it turned out!

Errand running tomorrow and I start physical therapy for my leg.  I'm looking forward to getting back to my workouts!

Happy Stitching!

Back From Chicago!

I tried posting from the airport on Friday but the connection was SO SLOW and frustrating!  I'm home for a while now!  Whoo Hoo!

So I'll catch you up!  I've been to northern Michigan with some friends, then to New Orleans with Joe then to Chicago to visit my eldest daughter.  Now I'm home until I go down to the Quilt Festival in Houston!  So what have I been up to?

  I got Lotus Temple quilted and bound before I went up north!

 In northern Michigan we stayed at one of the girls' cottage.  When I went into the room I was staying in there was an antique crazy quilt hanging on the armoir!  I had to take it down to inspect it!










There were award ribbons in addition to lots of embroidery, velvet, satin and tapestries.

 Upon closer inspection, I think someone had taken an old, worn crazy quilt, cut out the deteriorated pieces and re-pieced them, added new pieces and re-assembled it.  There was also a new backing on it.  It was really well done and a great way to preserve a beautiful antique quilt.

The weather was touch and go with rain moving in and out all weekend.  It did make for some dramatic cloud scenes!

Two days after I got home, we went to New Orleans.  One of the things I did was went on a tour of the city.  We went to the 9th Ward and saw some of the re-birth.

 Some of the devastation was apparent.

 Other areas have come back.  This was a playground in the Musician's Village area.  The structures were in the shape of musical instruments.

 We drove around the Garden District.  I wanted to go on a Garden District tour but since I was there in the non-tourist season and mid-week, there were no available tours.

A really fascinating parts of the tour was the cemetery.  The tour guide explained about the burial practices.

Then there was Bourbon Street!  We had not been there in 20 years and it has changed so much.  It used to be centered around the music with a few strip clubs.  Now it was predominately strip clubs and all about drinking.

But now, back to the sewing!  I have set up a sewing station in my family room to be up in the natural light.  I've started working on my Hidden Circles quilt and have been paper piecing the spiky section! 

I got 32 sections done, enough for 8 blocks!  I thought I would start putting a few blocks together and discovered I had done everything in reverse!  Neutral where the color should have been and vise versa!

I'm putting this project away for a while and going back to finishing another UFO.  This time I am going to finish my Log Cabin Stars.  Pictures to come.

Got to go to my workout.

Happy Stitching!

Let Us Never Forget....

September 11, 2012.  Even 11 years later it's hard to believe.  There doesn't seem to be the same hype as there was the past 10 anniversaries.  I'm sitting here watching a PBS special on 9/11.  So emotional.


I have been trying to keep up with the challenge of doing at least an hour of hand work at night and want to get it posted.  I now have 3 rays done.

3 rays done

Earlier in the day I finished the top for my Lotus Temple.  I will not be able to work on it tomorrow-workout in the morning, coffee with my dad, hair appointment and I'm playing in a "Birdies for Breasts" fund raiser tomorrow evening.  But Thursday is ALL MINE!!!!  I'll go get a backing for the quilt and do minimal quilting on it.

Lotus Temple to completed

The last thing I did this afternoon was go over the Block of the Month Applique I started about 8 years ago and finished the center block just last week!  I had kept up with the blocks every month until the last block!  I still have to trim up the blocks to the correct sizes and make the striped border around the center block.  Then there's the quilting.  Very traditional.  Probably echo around the applique and grind.  Maybe (probably) some feathers because I love feathers.

Piece '0 Cake Applique

I will probably start the Hidden Circles before I start quilting the applique.  I also have another feathered star quilt that needs quilting.  Haven't decided if I'll do it myself or send it out.  I think I'm going to start looking into getting a long arm.  My dad and his friend came for brunch on Sunday and she was telling us about her niece and her long arm.  That night Joe started questioning me about long arms.  I've toyed with the idea for a while but couldn't justify the expense.  Theoretically, I'd like to have a small quilting business-something I could run on my schedule-workout on my current schedule, travel when I want and work my butt off when I'm home.  I need to contribute to my retirement.  I live a comfortable lifestyle but need to add to my retirement fund.  But Joe said it might be a good idea and he'd finance me.  I want to talk to some people who have them then test-drive a few when I go to Houston.

I'm rambling.  

I'm distracted by the show on 9/11.  

I will never forget.

Indian Star Progress to Date

This is a post about my "Indian Star" quilt.  I started this quilt while traveling in India with Jinny Beyer in November 2010.  I was trying to capture the colors and feel of what I saw.  The six pointed star was very prominent as was the marigold color.  The borders are from Jinny's collection.  Here is the to when I finished the top.

I then proceeded to hand-quilt.  I got all the diamonds quilted in the ditch.  I had been working on small parts and had not looked at the whole thing until I finished quilting the diamonds and laid it out to try to determine how I was going to quilt the negative space.  I realized I was not happy with it.  The star faded into the background.

This quilt may not be the most beautiful or the most difficult quilt I have done but it means so much to me because I completed many of the diamonds while traveling around India on the experience of a lifetime.   So.....I un-quilted the entire thing!  I then realized if I could bring out the star points the central star became more apparent.

 By replacing 4 of the points with yellow-gold, the star started to come out!  But it did not some out as much as I wanted.  I then decided to outline the central star with a stem-stitch.  I auditioned different #8 perle cotton-sparkly gold, regular gold color, yellow color and black.  I settled on the black.

2 diamonds outlined

A closer look

Up close and personal

The 2 diamonds took about 2 hours.  I am going to try to commit to at least an hour every evening while watching TV with my husband.  I am going to link in with Bonnie Hunter's "One Hour of Needle & Thread".  Hopefully it will keep me on track!  That doesn't mean I won't finish up on my Lotus Temple!  Just something to do in the evening when I sit with "my boyfriend" (he'll always be my boyfriend-even after 31 years!)

Happy Stitching!

Busy, Busy, Busy!!!!

I'm hoping the computer gremlins have finished their games!  Here is the completed Disappearing Nine Patch.  Fast & easy!  Back it, Quilt it, Bind it.  That's this week's goal.

Disappearing Nine Patch

 Here's a close-up of some of the quilting I did on the Ohio Star.  The 9 Patch is going to get a simple, all-over pattern!

Close-up of quilting on Ohio Star

 Nest on our UFO Hit Parade is the Lotus Temple I started in Ursula Kern's class at Empty Spools this past March.

Getting close

Closer....

Here all the blocks are complete and waiting to be sewn together.  I'm so pleased with the way it turned out!  Below is the inspiration picture.

Lotus Temple, Dehli, India

I hope to have the edges finished off and I will back it and quilt it lightly with no batting as the foundation will make it heavy enough.  Another project I hope to complete this week!

Now that fall is here and the weather has cooled down, (and the pool has closed), I can spend more time quilting.  This week will be a busy one as I am playing in a fund-raiser tomorrow and Wednesday evening and my normal golf league day on Tuesday morning.  Add to that, my work-outs and I'm a busy girl!  Now that I've gotten my quilting mojo back, I'm looking forward to the creative process.  I also have the added incentive of a new project I want to start before I quilt another UFO!  It's called Hidden Circles and I'm going to make it scrappy to use up more of my scraps!  I'll post pictures as I go along.  The next project I'm going to quilt is my New Zealand quilt from a class I took at Empty Spools with Janet Fogg in 2009.

Until I post again,

Happy Stitching!